By Nick Griffiths

Last updated at 20:15, Friday, 18 January 2013

As places to live go it would have several distinctive selling points. It’s got bags of character, plenty of history – and not many people could say their home was a House of God.

St Kentigern's Church, Grinsdale

Diocese officials want to turn this village church into a home, breathing life back into a building declared redundant seven years ago.

They have confirmed a planning application has been lodged for St Kentigern’s Church in Grinsdale, near the River Eden, west of Carlisle.

If sold, cash would be used to help look after other redundant churches across the country and go towards the good of the Church in Cumbria.

The last service took place at the 1740 church some time in the middle of the last decade due to a dwindling congregation and the building was placed on the market. Now, though, the Diocese of Carlisle has taken the decision to lodge a planning application with Carlisle City Council to “allow for conversion of the building to a single dwelling”.

Permission is also being sought to allow the entrance to its churchyard, part of which would stay open, to be moved.

The diocese said the building, believed to be built over a 12th century medieval church, was declared redundant by Church Commissioners in 2005.

A spokesman added if planning permission was granted it was anticipated the Church Commissioners would authorise the sale of the church.

The building would then be sold on with the full planning permission.

A diocesan spokesman said: “If a sale were to go through, part of the proceeds would go back to the Church nationally to help look after other redundant churches.

“The balance would come to the Diocese and that money would be used to promote the life of the Church within the county.”

First published at 15:52, Friday, 18 January 2013
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk